China: One-Third of Internet Users Use a Ride-Sharing Service

eMarketer expects sector growth to level off amid tighter regulations

London, 10 January 2018: Well over one-third of Internet users in China will use a ride-sharing service in 2018, according to eMarketer’s first-ever forecast on the transportation sharing economy for the country.

In China’s sprawling urban centers where personal car ownership is relatively low, affordable on-demand ride services such as Didi Chuxing and Dida Pinche have become increasingly popular. Ride-sharing companies first entered the Chinese market in 2014, and for the first couple of years rapidly grew their user base.

However, eMarketer expects growth to taper off this year, as the Chinese government has imposed stiff regulations on drivers and vehicles operating within the ride-sharing market. As a result, eMarketer expects 38% of Internet users to use the service come 2019.

“Though partly attributable to lavish subsidies doled out to attract passengers, the inability of public transport infrastructure to keep pace with the rapid urban migration and a general enthusiasm for new technology has helped to popularize transport sharing in China,” said Shelleen Shum, eMarketer’s senior forecasting analyst. “Despite recent attempts by the government to regulate ride sharing in China, we expect demand for transport sharing services to continue to grow.”

Methodology
eMarketer’s forecasts and estimates are based on an analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from research firms, government agencies, media firms and public companies, plus interviews with top executives at publishers, ad buyers and agencies. Data is weighted based on methodology and soundness. Each eMarketer forecast fits within the larger matrix of all its forecasts, with the same assumptions and general framework used to project figures in a wide variety of areas. Regular re-evaluation of available data means the forecasts reflect the latest business developments, technology trends and economic changes.

About eMarketer
Founded in 1996, eMarketer is the first place to look for research about marketing in a digital world. eMarketer enables thousands of companies worldwide to understand marketing trends, consumer behavior and get the data needed to succeed in the competitive and fast-changing digital economy. eMarketer’s flagship product, eMarketer PRO, is home to all of eMarketer’s research including; forecasts, analyst reports, aggregated data from 3,000+ sources, interviews with industry leaders, articles, charts and comparative market data. eMarketer’s free daily newsletters span the US, EMEA and APAC and are read by more than 200,000 readers globally. In 2016 eMarketer, Inc. was acquired by European media giant Axel Springer S.E.